Press Room

March 2012 Results: Lottery Proceeds Top Annual Budgeted Total With Three Months Still To Go

Lottery Sets Another Sales Record For Total
From Lotto, Scratch And Pull-Tabs

DES MOINES, Iowa - The latest figures show that Iowa
Lottery proceeds to state causes have already topped what
was budgeted for the entire fiscal year, with three months
still to go.

Lifted by huge sales leading up to the world-record $656
million Mega Millions® jackpot drawing on March 30 and
continued strong sales of instant-scratch games, lottery
sales in March totaled more than $34.8 million - the highest
monthly sales total ever for the lottery's core products.

Lottery proceeds to state causes also were strong in March,
hitting more than $10 million - a 30 percent increase from
March 2011 - and the second-highest monthly proceeds total
in the lottery's history.

Iowa Lottery CEO Terry Rich said the lottery is on pace for
another record year.

"Playing the lottery is something that's completely optional
and we work hard to find new ideas and concepts that our
players will continue to enjoy," Rich said Wednesday as the
March figures were announced. "These results are the reward
for hard work combined with good business oversight from the
Lottery Board and the many other sources of input that the
lottery receives."

Rich said the lottery had conservatively projected that its
proceeds to state causes would total about $58.7 million for
fiscal year 2012, which ends June 30. Total proceeds through
the end of March, however, had already topped $60.4 million.

"The lottery focuses on operating as an entrepreneurial
business and we're pleased to see that our work is reaping
benefits for the state," he said. "And we're having fun
while we're at it."

March is now the lottery's highest sales month ever for its
core products, topping February's total that had just set
that record a month earlier. The March total of $34.8
million in combined sales from lotto, scratch and pull-tab
tickets beat February's total by more than $4 million. Mega
Millions sales in March in Iowa totaled nearly $8.3 million
as players got in on a chance at that monster Mega Millions
jackpot.

March also became the fourth month in a row with record
scratch-ticket sales in Iowa. The monthly total of nearly
$18 million topped February's previous record of $17.5
million. January and December also had set records at the
time only to be outpaced the next month.

Brad Schroeder of Pleasant Hill, an attorney who chairs the
Iowa Lottery Board, said it is gratifying to see the
lottery's work paying off.

"The lottery has been able to provide tremendous help for
the state by focusing on bottom-line proceeds," he said.

Overall, Rich said that several factors have contributed to
the lottery's sales success: a strong mix of games and
themes; continued winners of large prizes in Iowa; strong
support from the retail community; popular promotions such
as the lottery's current "Warehouse Dash®" promotion that
will give six lucky players the chance to grab as much
top-brand merchandise as they can during a 90-second dash
through its VIP Club warehouse; and vital lottery help for
worthy causes including the Iowa Veterans Trust Fund.

Through the end of March, lottery proceeds to help veterans
and their families through the Veterans Trust Fund had
topped $2.2 million for the fiscal year and nearly $10.8
million since lottery games to help veterans debuted in Iowa
in July 2008.

"Our thanks go out to our retailers for the work they do in
selling lottery tickets and to our players for helping us
provide a stable, ongoing source of revenue for the programs
that make a difference for us all," Rich said.

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Prizes and Proceeds

Since the lottery's start in 1985, its players have won more than $3.5 billion in prizes while the lottery
has raised more than $1.6 billion for the state programs that benefit all Iowans.

Today, lottery proceeds in Iowa have three main purposes: They provide support for our state's veterans and their
families through the Iowa Veterans Trust Fund, help for a variety of significant projects through the state General Fund,
and backing for the Vision Iowa program, which was implemented to create tourism destinations and community attractions
in the state and build and repair schools.

Player Info

The Iowa Lottery makes every effort to ensure the accuracy of the winning numbers, prize payouts and other information
posted on the Iowa Lottery website. The official winning numbers are those selected in the respective drawings and recorded
under the observation of an independent accounting firm. In the event of a discrepancy, the official drawing results shall
prevail. All names, logos and information contained within these pages are meant for personal use only and may not be
reproduced or distributed without the expressed written consent of the Iowa Lottery. You must be at least 21 years old to purchase
Iowa Lottery tickets. Please play responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, please call 1-800-BETSOFF for help.